Scrimshaw delighted as he wins final-over battle to secure precious Blast win over Glamorgan

With Glamorgan needing 10 to win off the last over and Dan Douthwaite in ruthless hitting form, skipper David Willey threw the ball to Scrimshaw to get the County over the line in their Central & West Group opener.

And the fast bowler responded in style.

He dismissed Mason Crane for 23 with the first ball, and then after a bye was run to wicket-keeper Lewis McManus off the next delivery, Scrimshaw was left to bowl four balls at Douthwaite, who was 46 not out from just 30 balls, with the visitors needing nine to win.

The first ball was a dot as Douthwaite turned down an easy single but the second was a top-edged four over McManus, reducing the target to five from two balls.

The penultimate ball saw Douthwaite again fail to get hold of Scrimshaw's delivery as he turned down another run, meaning it went down to the last ball of the match, with Glamorgan needing a four to tie and a six to win.

Scrimshaw was once again on the money though as Douthwaite could only miss-hit to square-leg for a single, and it was the Steelbacks who were left to celebrate an excellent victory.

Asked about how he felt ahead of that last over in front of a packed cinch County Ground, Scrimshaw admitted: "I looked across at Lynny (Chris Lynn), and I thought 'oh, here we go' this is a bit nervy!

"But I was prepared and I have done that a few times before in that situation at the death.

"There was a lot of adrenalin, and it was just about wanting put the ball in the right areas.

"I probably missed a couple of times, but the intention was there and you have to bowl that ball, and not just put it there on the spot as you can't afford to do that at the end.

"It was massive and I am just delighted to get over the line at the end."

The final ball of the 19th over, bowled by Ben Sanderson, had been clubbed for six by Douthwaite, and that made life a lot more difficult for Scrimshaw, who ended with figures of three for 33.

So how does it feel bowling at he death against a player who clearly has his eye in, and has the power to clear the ropes?

"If you definitely miss your line, you know you are going to go," admitted Scrimshaw.

"I think Sando only just missed at the end, and Douthwaite has middled one off a slower ball with one hand!

"Sando said to me 'sorry Scrim, I shouldn't have given you that one', but we have come out on the end of a good result, and there was a lot of emotion out there at the end."

Head coach Darren Lehmann felt the Steelbacks batted poorly and were perhaps 20 runs short, but Scrimshaw said he players felt they had put together a competitive total.

"I think Lynny or (Nathan) McSweeney mentioned 170 would be a score that could be defendable," he said.

"I thought it would skid on under the lights, and I think it did at times looking at the way Douthwaite hit a few.

"But it looked tricky when we were batting, there were a few balls that stopped in the pitch, and they bowled really well to the field and with the wind, making us hit into deep pockets.

"But credit to our batters for sticking in and give us that chance to get the runs on the board."

The Steelbacks are back in action on Sunday when they travel to New Road to take on Worcestershire Rapids (start 2.30pm).